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What can a president’s jokes reveal that his speeches leave out?
In Lincoln’s Yarns and Stories, Alexander K. McClure gathers anecdotes about Abraham Lincoln, from frontier talk to the White House. Friends, soldiers, senators and visitors recall a man who leans back, begins a tale and brings it round to a point. Humor offers a warmer view of the shrewd mind behind the speeches.
The collection follows Lincoln through frontier life, courtroom days, political campaigns and the weight of the Civil War. McClure, a newspaper editor and politician who knows Lincoln personally, brings these recollections together. This is not a full biography: its heart is the short tale, and the way Lincoln uses stories to reason and bear difficult days.
What you’ll discover
- Frontier roots Enter a world where books are scarce and talk supplies much of the entertainment.
- Wit on the circuit Follow the Illinois lawyer from town to town, where courtroom days sharpen his humor.
- Stories on the stump See how Lincoln carries his storytelling into campaigns and debates with political rivals.
- Humor under wartime strain Encounter anecdotes that show the place of humor amid the enormous weight of war.
- A tale with a point Discover how a short story becomes a way to reason, not merely to amuse.
Who will love it
This book suits readers who love American history told through people, anyone who enjoys a punch line with a moral inside, and listeners who want a warm portrait of Lincoln.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A joke answers a drawn revolver
- Honesty grows from ordinary life
- Plain stories make justice clear
- A story leaves room for refusal
- Laughter helps him carry sorrow
- Patience can carry a firm will
- Mercy asks for duty in return
- Conviction stands beside the jokes
- The stories reveal one whole man
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Lincoln's Yarns and Stories
by Alexander K. McClure · 1901
A stranger pulls a revolver on Lincoln, and a joke about ugliness decides what happens next.
Medium level5–10 hours to read20 languages
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In short
A stranger with a grim face pushes a revolver almost into the face of Abraham Lincoln. Years ago, the man says, he swore to shoot any person uglier than himself.
Lincoln's Yarns and Stories at a glance
- Reading time
- About 8 h 30 min6 h 45 min fast, 10 h 5 min slow
- Length
- 121,100 words
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- 1901by Alexander K. McClure
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
Lincoln was a storyteller before anything else
McClure opens with a plain claim. Lincoln's fame for telling stories came before his fame in law or politics. He answered opponents with a tale, and as a lawyer he won juries with a story that showed the justice of his side.
These stories were never idle. Nearly all have a funny side and a point, so McClure compares them to the fables of Aesop.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 14 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1901
- Language
- English
- Level
- Medium level
Cite this edition
McClure, Alexander K. Lincoln's Yarns and Stories. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/lincolns-yarns-and-stories.
McClure, A. K. (2026). Lincoln's yarns and stories. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lincolns-yarns-and-stories (Original work published 1901)
McClure, Alexander K. Lincoln's Yarns and Stories. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lincolns-yarns-and-stories.
@book{mcclure2026lincolns,
author = {McClure, Alexander K.},
title = {Lincoln's Yarns and Stories},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/lincolns-yarns-and-stories},
note = {First published 1901}
}
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What is Lincoln's Yarns and Stories about?
It gathers hundreds of short anecdotes about Abraham Lincoln, from his boyhood and law practice to his presidency. Each shows his humor, kindness or judgment, and many use a story to make a point in politics or war.
Who wrote Lincoln's Yarns and Stories?
Colonel Alexander K. McClure, a Pennsylvania editor and politician who knew Lincoln personally, collected the stories and wrote the opening pages. He drew on recollections from friends, lawyers, generals and other people who met Lincoln.
Are the stories in Lincoln's Yarns and Stories true?
Many come from named witnesses such as Herndon, Lamon and other friends, though they were passed on by memory. Some read like folk tales, so they are best taken as portraits of Lincoln's spirit and style.
The author
Alexander K. McClure
American journalist and politician
Alexander Kelly McClure (1828–1909) was an American journalist, politician, and author. He was born in Pennsylvania and died in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. He served in the state legislature and helped found The Philadelphia Times in 1875. His books included Abraham Lincoln and Men of War-Times (1892) and Lincoln’s Yarns and Stories (1901).
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